The amazing £32 million revamp of an iconic bridge that must be painted a specific colour

The major multi-million-pound restoration work on the famous northeastern bridge has reached an exciting milestone. The first repainted section of the Tyne is about to be revealed to the public.

The structure was long overdue for a revamp after the previous paint started to peel, crack and fade. And the public will soon be able to see a glimpse of the fresh green parapet and underside of the main bridge deck.

Following repairs, the steelwork has been cleaned to remove the previous 96 years of paint coating, including lead-based paint. Application of the new three-coat system is now well underway.

Due to its listed status, the paint colour being used, called 'Hollybush', is as close to the original colour as possible.

Neil Wilkinson, interim service director for Climate Change, Compliance, Planning and Transport at Gateshead Council, said: "It's fantastic to see this rich green shade of paint back on the bridge, bringing it back to its best.

"Everyone knows what the Tyne Bridge means to this area, and it's going to be great for people to see the new paint as they travel back and forth, to understand what the finished restoration will look like."

The four-year project will cost a staggering £32 million, funded by the UK Government as well as monies from both Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.

Predicted to be completed by the summer of 2028, the bridge will be fully restored by its 100th birthday in October of that year.

The last painting of the Tyne Bridge was in early 2000, with the pain expected to last up to 20 years. However the visible signs of corrosion and faded paintwork see an overdue refresh.

Engineers confirmed they have already found a further 100 defects during their work so far, adding to the previous 900 which were already known to them.

Some beams have been described as so rusted and thin that a shovel or even a foot would easily break through them. However, they say the restoration works are still on course to be completed on time.

To deliver the repairs and strengthen safely, the scaffold will be installed over approximately 20 phases to maintain the integrity of the structure's load capacity, while keeping the road and footpaths open to traffic and pedestrians throughout the project.

The scaffolding around Gateshead tower will gradually be dismantled starting this month, with the public being able to soon see the beginnings of the major transformation.

At the same time, the scaffold around the Newcastle tower will continue to rise while the restoration progresses on that section.